


Nightfall in Gondor

by LeastExpected_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-02-04
Updated: 2002-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:47:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26213596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeastExpected_Archivist/pseuds/LeastExpected_Archivist
Summary: By HalethPippin says goodbye.
Relationships: Merry Brandybuck/Pippin Took
Kudos: 1
Collections: Least Expected





	Nightfall in Gondor

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Amy Fortuna, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Least Expected](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Least_Expected), which has been offline since 2002. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on the [Least Expected collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/leastexpected/profile).
> 
> Disclaimer: Still not mine, dammit.  
> Story Notes: I'm absolutely positive this has been done before, and better. I wanted to write it anyway since I wasn't going to be able to sleep until I wrote it down. Also this is nauseatingly sentimental, and a little depressing. You Have Been Warned.

Oh Merry, I don't know if you can see me. I don't think you can, anyway you haven't opened your eyes this past hour. I don't know if you can hear me, either. I hope you can. I have things to say to you, Merry, and I want you to hear them. Here, let me take your hand; I know you can feel that, because you're curling your fingers around mine. It feels good to me too, Merry, it does, just like it always has. I love you, Merry, you know. I think you know that, I've told you often enough. But I can't say it too much, so I will again. I love you, Merry, and I do so hope you can hear me.

Here, let me wipe these wet trails from your face. I'm not really sure if they are your tears or mine... mine, I think. I'm sorry, sorry for letting them fall on you so, I was just bending over to hear your breath, to hear what I can of you, since you won't speak.

Oh Merry! I wish, I wish you would tell me a story, like you used to. I always liked your stories, Merry, as much to listen to your voice as anything I guess. I could listen to you for hours, which I suppose is a good thing, considering how you can go on so, but oh Merry! I did love every minute of it. I love you, Merry; did I tell you that before? I suppose I did, but I can't remember now.

It's my turn to tell you a story now I suppose, since you cannot. What would you like to hear about, do you think? Should I tell you about the first time I saw this great city we are in now, how it gleamed so white in the morning light that it nearly took my breath away, tired as I was from riding days with Gandalf? I nearly fell off Shadowfax right then, even with Gandalf holding me on. I had no idea then how things would turn out; I didn't know whether to be frightened or excited, but Merry, mostly I was thinking how I wished you could have seen it with me at that moment!

It was grand, Merry, but I only could think of how I missed you, how I longed to be with you. I was so worried, you know. Worried I wouldn't see you again, worried that the war would separate us forever, and I couldn't have borne that.

Oh, Merry. I don't want to be parted from you, even now. They've prepared a place for you in Rath Dnen, and one for me, right beside you. I insisted you know, so we won't really be parted, not really. Not forever. You know I will follow you, my love, just as soon as I may.

Merry mine, I wish you would open your eyes. I should like to look into them again, just once more. They were always merry, just like you, dear. Maybe you can't open them just now. That's all right. But I hope you don't mind if I just kiss them now, so lightly, to show you how much I love them. And, here, I will wipe your face dry again. It's so soft, your cheek, in sleep, if you are indeed sleeping now. I think you are, because if I put my hand here, on your chest, yes, just let me open a button here so I can slip my hand inside, feel your skin. Yes, it's still warm, I can feel your heart beating, right here, like the breaths of a tiny bird, so you must be asleep, because you won't open your eyes. No, and you won't speak to me either, love, with those soft lips I've tasted so many times. They were so sweet! You won't mind, will you, Merry-dear, if I try them again now, to see if I remember properly?

Oh, I do, I don't see now how I allowed myself to doubt they'd be just like ripe berries on the vine, soft and sweet as they look, as I remember. They remind me of summer days in the Shire, days I spent with you when we were young. Do you remember, love, finding wild blackberries and collecting them by the bucketful? Not that many of them ever made it back to the smials. Do you remember how we would sit and feed them to each other? The scent of them on your breath was headier than the finest wine; they were sweet, Merry, but not nearly as sweet as you.

Merry, Merry dear, I love you. I do so wish you wouldn't leave me. I know it's not forever, but this city is so large! It will be lonely without you, I know. I will come visit you, as often as I may, there in the Houses... I know that's not usual, but I think Aragorn will allow me. He knows how much I love you. But oh, Merry, do you? Do you know how much I love you? I hope you do, I can't bear to think of your leaving without knowing. And here, my dear, just let me dry your face again. I'm sorry, I don't know - I don't know where these tears are coming from.

And now I will brush the curls from your brow one last time. They look almost gold in this candlelight, as they did long ago, instead of the snowy white I know they are now. And the lines in your face smooth out in your sleep: here, and here; so you look almost young again. You are beautiful with or without them, Merry, but I wish you really were young again, wish we still had all those years together in front of us. They passed far too quickly for my liking.

Oh Merry! I am going to miss you so much. I hope it's not too long before I can join you. Please, Merry, just stay with me another minute. Please, I can't hear your breath anymore, and the sound was so beautiful to my ears. Please, Merry, your breast is growing still under my fingers, and I don't want it to. Please, Merry, open your eyes one more time before you go. Merry, dear, I love you. Wherever you're going, remember I love you.


End file.
